Requiem Aeternam
by Megami-Sama88
Summary: Cast aside by her own people, a new enemy surfaces in Earth Land. Will she become Fairy Tail's new enemy? Can Natsu and the others overcome this powerful entity? Rated M for language and lemons.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: **_Hello my dear readers! I promised you a Nalu fic, and here it is! I want to let you know a couple of things before we continue. First off, this story is a lot darker and more serious than anything I have ever uploaded to but it will have a bit of comedy and other elements in it. Expect to see a lot of curse words, swearing, and some lemon. Death and blood and demonology play a big part in this story, as the whole theme revolves around that. If slightly morbid scenes are not ok with you, you can skip them all together, as they will not hinder the plot, but serve to add to the atmosphere of my story. Lastly, please forgive any typos and mistakes I may have overlooked!_

* * *

She sat very still, hands tucked beneath her bottom, pressed hard against the wooden chair she was sitting on. The room was dark; the sun was setting, and the red drapes cast an eerie, scarlet light about the large room. The wooden desk infront her seemed to stretch out for miles, but that was just her nervous, scared mind playing tricks on her. The door to the room creaked open and she whipped her small head around. It was a tall figure; it wore long, dark green robes and a mask. The mask was the most hideous thing she had ever seen, and she recoiled at the sight of it. Its pale, swarthy texture reminded her of old leather. It was a mask that made her think of darkness and the monsters that lurked within it. Two black eyes, no nose... a sewn mouth. Like a giant, macabre rag doll. The person sat at the desk, facing her. There was a moment of silence before the macabre doll removed the mask, revealing an elderly, tired man. He pinched the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger. Placing the mask on the desk in front of him, he looked at her.

"How old are you, child?" he asked in a weary tone.

She didn't answer for a couple of seconds. "Go on, tell me, little one" the old man urged. He had a look of deep sadness etched upon his wrinkled face.

"Six" she answered, looking down at her lap. The old man sighed. The soft ticking of a clock was the only sound in the room.

"And your name?" he asked gently.

"Mortem" she replied. The man remained silent.

"Mortem" he repeated after a minute. She nodded her head. "Do you know what that means?" he asked. Mortem looked up at him and shook her small head. "No, of course you don't know" he said, more to himself than to her. "Do you know where your parents are?" he asked. Again, Mortem shook her head. "They are dead" the old man said, not unkindly. Little Mortem looked up at him, not really grasping what he had just said.

"Dead?" she asked. He nodded this time.

"You killed them, Mortem" he explained. She gasped, shaking her head. That couldn't be right. She would never kill her parents. She loved them! "Do you remember anything?" the old man pressed.

"I remember a light" she said, tears falling from her eyes. The old man nodded as if he understood more than she did.

"Mortem. Long before you were born, there was a prophecy about you" he said, "do you know what that means?" Mortem shook her head. "It means," he began, "that long ago, someone told us that you would be born, and you would bring about change to this land. With your birth would come death and destruction. Do you understand?"

Mortem shook her head.

"I don't kill. Mommy said never to hurt anyone" she said.

The old man sighed again. This was a task he had not wanted to undertake. This child was innocent still, and to be the bearer of this horrendous news... well, he would have liked someone else to do it. "It was an accident, Mortem. You didn't mean to kill them. But your powers got out of control. Such is your nature. You are a bringer of sadness" he said.

"I don't like sadness. I want my mommy... I want my daddy. Where are they?" Mortem asked, wiping her eyes with her small hands.

"You are too young to understand. But, as Elder of the Order of the White Wolf, I have been burdened with this task. I have to send you away now, Mortem. To protect the people and yourself..." he said. The door to the room creaked open once more, and a second macabre doll peered in. This one wore blood-red robes.

"Elder. It is ready... we are ready" the doll spoke. It was a woman this time, but Mortem never got to see her face. The Elder stood and summoned the woman inside. It was then that Mortem noticed she carried two pups. One was as white as the snow she had once seen. The second was black. So black she could barely make him out in the dark room.

"These two wolf pups will be your company from now on. This one here... his name is Kako" the old man said, lifting the small white wolf pup. "He is the bringer of misfortune. This one," he lifted the black one this time, "is Batibat, bringer of nightmares and death during sleep. Both pups were born on the very day... the very hour... that you were born. And so it was foretold that they would be yours. Come child. Walk with me" the Elder said after placing the pups gently on the floor. He held out a wrinkled hand for her. Mortem slid off her chair and took the Elder's hand.

"Where are we going?" she said, following him out into a dark hallway. The two wolf pups followed the little girl. The Elder remained quiet until they reached a dark, dank, stone room. There was an intricate pattern drawn across the floor, giving off a gentle, pale glow. Around this complex design were gathered more members of the Order of the White Wolf. Some dressed in blood-red robes... some in dark blue robes. Only two others wore dark green robes like the Elder. One of the blue robed dolls, as Mortem thought of them, came forward, pulling behind him a foal. With a jolt of surprise, Mortem noticed this baby horse had a single horn protruding from its head. She pulled gently at the Elder's hand.

"A unicorn? I didn't know they were real!" she said excitedly. The Elder smiled at her.

"They are not real. This one here is the exception. Her name is Dharmapala, protector of the Way of the Higher Truth. Stand here, child" the Elder said, pointing at a circle in the middle of the intricate pattern. The blue-robed doll handed Mortem the rope with which Dharmapala was being pulled. Mortem looked around at the hideous figures in the room. She didn't quite yet understand what was happening. She was scared, she was sad. She wanted her mommy and daddy. As she stepped into the circle with her horse and two pups, the symbols on the ground began to cast a bright light. The members of the Order began to chant in a language she did not understand.

"What's happening?" she asked, but no one answered. Even the Elder was chanting now. And then they were chanting words she understood, even if she knew not what they meant...

_"Pale, beyond porch and portal,_

_Crowned with calm leaves, she stands_

_Who gathers all things mortal_

_With cold immortal hands;_

_Then star nor sun shall waken,_

_Nor any change of light:_

_Nor sound of waters shaken,_

_Nor any sound or sight:_

_Nor wintry leaves nor vernal,_

_Nor days nor things diurnal;_

_Only the sleep eternal_

_In an eternal night"_

They chanted these words over and over, and Mortem watched, transfixed, at the portal that was being ripped open on the wall. Fear coursed through her little body.

"Please! Stop it!" she cried. But her pleas fell upon deaf ears. The portal was open.

"Go now, Mortem" the Elder said. She shook her head.

"I don't want to!"

"You must!"

"No! Let me stay with you! Please! Oh please!" she begged. The Elder shook his head.

"My child, if you stay here... everyone will perish" he said.

"Where am I going?" she sobbed.

"To a far away place... somewhere where you won't be our problem anymore" said a woman standing next to the Elder. She too wore dark green robes, but unlike the Elder, she didn't remove her mask. "You are cursed, child. Now go!" the woman shrieked, startling Mortem. She ran into the portal, pulling Dharmapala along, Kako and Batibat running at her heels. The four of them were engulfed by the bright light, but ironically, all around her was darkness. Mortem felt a pulling force dragging her across space and time and then... nothing. She was sleeping now, surrounded by a forcefield bubble. Her companions were with her, all sleeping too.

"Where did you send her?" the Elder asked.

"Her course is to be suspended in space for eternity" the woman said.

"Muriel! You cannot do that! Her destination was to be the Gardens of Prosperine!" the Elder said.

Taking off her mask, Muriel looked at the old man.

"Albafica, I too am an Elder in this Order, and I have a right to choose where to send that cursed child" Muriel said coldly.

"Not before asking the other Elders and an agreement is reached! It was agreed in the last meeting that Mortem was to be sent to the Gardens to remain there for eternity" Albafica said, exasperated.

"Nothing guarantees that she cannot break free of the Gardens and kills us all!" Muriel replied stubbornly.

"And nobody can guarantee that Mortem will not accidentally land on another planet! Muriel, if that happens... you have doomed that planet to their death!" Albafica bellowed.

"Better them than us!" Muriel shrieked. The Elder shook his head, cast one last look at the people gathered, and then left the room.

* * *

Mortem opened her violet eyes and smiled a sinister smile. She let her slender hand drop to the side of the couch she was lying on and immediately Kako and Batibat licked it. Yes... it had been nineteen years since she had been cast away from her home planet. She had floated through time and space... eventually landing on this strange planet called Earth Land. Her powers hadn't yet matured, nineteen years ago. The Elders thought it was easy to dispose of her as they saw fit, didn't they? Well, after the annihilation of this planet, she would search for them. She peered out the window into the field. It was a gloomy, cloudy day, but Dharmapala seemed to enjoy it. Stepping back, she grabbed her dark purple, velvet robe and draped it around her thin shoulders. Now that her powers were mature, now that she could control them, her plan could be set in motion. Drawing strength from the lives of the people in Earth Land, she would open the portal and go home. She had a score to settle.

* * *

**A/N: **_Well, there you have it! My very first chapter to my very first Nalu fic! But! The base of the story (to include all OCs, themes etc) is something I intend to make into an original story, maybe even publish it. As far as the fic goes, I hope you enoyed the chapter, and expect to see these ships along with the main Nalu pairing: Gruvia, Gale, Elfeen, Freeiajane, Rowen and Jerza. This story will be long, and I do not know yet how many chapters it will contain. Please be patient with me as I will take longer to update this fic because I want to make sure it's just right. Also, the story plot will progress slowly, but not so slowly that I bore you all to death, I promise! _

_One more thing: The "prophecy" chant used in this fic is actually a poem written in 1866 by the talented Algernon Charles Swinburne called The Garden of Prosperine. This poem was the inspiration for my character, Mortem. _


	2. Chapter 2

The pink haired young man rested his chin on his palm, watching the blond girl across from him. She was holding his blue, winged cat, as the latter ate a roasted fish. It had been over a week since they had been on a job, mostly due to the fact that it had been raining non stop for the last two weeks, and the streets were beginning to flood as the river and nearby lakes began to oveflow. Strange things had been happening around Fiore lately. The inceassant rain was one of those things.

"Ugh... I can't stand it much longer!" Natsu said, slamming his fist against the table, startling the blond and the cat.

"Natsu! You made me swallow a fish spine!" the blue cat wailed, coughing dramatically.

"Natsu... I know it's hard for you to stay cooped up for so long, but what can we do? The roads are blocked, we haven't recieved any requests in the last week and Master Makarov said we have to wait it out" his blond friend said.

"I know, but Lucy, this is bullshit! I just wish it would stop raining already" the pinkette said, locking his hands behind his head and sighing. "Oi! Juvia!" he called across the guild's hall. A pretty, blue-haired water mage looked up from the book she was reading. "Can you make the rain stop?" Natsu asked her.

"No, I cannot. Juvia is a water mage, not a weather mage. It was not Juvia who summoned the rain" she snapped.

Natsu sighed again. Tension was high in the guild because everyone had been staying there for the last week, on Makarov's orders. "_Just in case there's any... _funny..._ business" _the master had said. Though what kind of funny business he was talking about, Natsu could not be sure.

"We're running out of booze" Cana said, slowly sipping sake from her cup. Normally she would have been downing a barrel of the stuff, but it was as she stated. They were running out of booze. And other supplies.

"We are running out of food, too. We have enough for at least another four days" the white-haired demon woman said. She turned her pretty face to the master, who was sitting crossed-legged atop the bar. He looked deep in thought. "Master? What will you have us do?" she asked him. The master remained silent. Mirajane cast a glance at Cana who only shrugged.

"Tomorrow, the Guild Masters have a meeting with the Magic Council. The strange happenings, the abnormal weather... it is all sounding serious. I want two of my children to go out to buy supplies. Ask the merchants here, and if nothing is available here, go to the next town. You know where the guild's vault is" he said calmly.

"I volunteer, Master" the red head said.

"I will go with Erza!" Natsu said at once. Anything to get out of this place for a while!

"Natsu! I'm going too!" Happy, the blue cat, said.

"No" Master Makarov said.

"What?! Why not!" Happy wailed.

"Erza and Juvia can go" the master said simply. Juvia blinked and looked around.

"WHAT?!" Natsu bellowed. "Gramps! Let me go too!" he pleaded with the old man. Makarov shook his head.

"I need you here, Natsu" he said.

"But why?" Natsu persisted. Erza, the fairy queen, placed a hand on the pinkette's shoulder.

"Enough, Natsu. The master has his reasons" she said calmly. Nevertheless, Natsu knew to drop the subject. He pouted and crossed his arms over his chest.

"We leave tomorrow at dawn. Good night, brats" the old man said, drinking the last of the sake in his cup. He jumped off the bar top and climbed the stairs to his room. He didn't know exactly what was happening in Fiore, but things were beginning to worry him. The impromptu meeting the Council had called was proof that something strange was definitely going on.

"Bummer, eh?" the ice mage said, plopping down next to Natsu.

"Shut up, Gray, I'm not in the mood" Natsu snapped.

"Calm your ass down, flame brain, I meant no harm" Gray said. "What do you guys think is going on?" he asked, looking grim.

"I don't know. The Master looks worried" Lucy replied, resting her chin on her palm.

"It is to be expected" Mirajane said from behind them. Having washed the last of the dishes, she had closed the bar for the night. Cana and Erza followed her. The demon pulled out the day's news paper. It was soggy with rain, but still legible. "Master forgot this at the bar... look" she said, splaying the paper on the table for all to see.

_**Third Small Town Falls Victim**_

_**by Arizbeth Justice**_

_Two weeks following the strange incident that surrounded the small town of Emerald in Joya, where the entire town was wrecked and every resident was found dead, authorities recieved another grim report. The town Aldebaran, in Stella, suffered a blow. Residents of Aldebaran fell ill and more than half of the population perished. There is no known reason the illness that spread across this town, and unfortunately, there was no cure._

_Now, yet _another_ town falls victim to tragedy. A lone hunter returned to his home in Woodsburrow, Bosco, only to find his family dead. No wounds, no sign of a struggle. "Like something just took their life force" Mr. Cyan said, hardly able to control himself. To his horror, when he went to call for help from his neighbours, he found that they too, had perished. And so began his nightmare. Every house told the same story. A story of death. A story of loss. Authorities have yet to discover who or what is behind these mass kilings and they ask citizens to be extra cautious. They urge everybody to report any suspicious activity or person. _

_Stay safe folks, and lock your doors at night._

The group of people gathered at the table were horror struck as theyvread the news arrticle.

"Who would do such a thing?" Juvia whispered without really expecting an answer. She had joined the table, sitting next to the ice mage.

"Or _what_" Gray said seriously.

"Do you think... maybe it's Zeref?" Cana asked worriedly. Erza shook her head.

"I don't know... it doesn't seem like the type of thing Zeref would do" she explained.

"This is Zeref we're talking about!" Gray said hotly. "He sics his demons on innocent people!"

"Exactly Graym Think about it. Zeref always has someone else do his dirty deeds for him. Be it a demon like Deliora, or a dragon like Acnologia, Zeref always has someone else" Erza said.

"It could be one of his demons" Natsu said.

"Maybe" Erza agreed.

"But there have been no witnesses" Mirajane stated.

"No... but that hunter is tue sole survivor of Woodsburrow... maybe he saw something that could help explain all this" Lucy said thoughtfully.

"Whatever it is, it seems the Magic Council and the Guild Masters don't want anybody to find out. This article was printed and adressed specifically for Master Makarov. I imagine the other guild masters got one too. I suppose they want to avoid mass hysteria and panic, but how long do you think they can keep something like thid quiet?" Mirajane asked, folding up the wet parchment and putting it back into the pocket of her apron.

"I don't know. We will see what the master tells us after he comes back from the meeting. But for now, we have to go to sleep. Me and Juvia have to be up early tomorrow" Erza said, signaling the end of the discussion. Everyone pushed away table and said their good nights, heading to their assigned beds.

The basement of the guild had been made into a shelter of sorts, with a large number of beds for the mages to sleep on. Most were already occupied by sleeping mages, and Erza quietly made her way to her bed. Removing her boots, she let her mind wander to Jellal. What was he doing? Was he ok? Did he know about the strange happenings? Pulling tue covers to her neck, she closed her eyes and hoped that Jellal was somewhere safe too.

"Natsu?" Lucy whispered. She and Happy were curled up on a single-person bed, and Natsu was lying on the floor with a couple of blankets. She and Natsu, along with Gray, Juvia, Mirajane, Lissana, Elfman, and Reedus had to stay in the guild hall, as there were no more beds in the basement. It was quiet, the only sound was Elfman's snoring.

"Yeah?" Natsu answered quietly.

"I'm scared" the blond girl confessed. Seconds later, Natsu's warm, strong hand grabbed hers.

"Don't be. I won't let anything happen to you or to Fairy Tail" he said, giving her hand a squeeze, "I promise".

Lucy smiled to herself in the dark. She knew he meant what he said. And she knew Natsu Dragneel kept his promises. She drifted off to sleep, aware that they hand't let go of each other's hand.

**A/N: **_Double update! Please review and leave me your thoughts! What's going on in Earth Land? What will our favorite guild do? Stay tuned to find out! xoxo_


	3. Chapter 3

Mortem pulled the hood of her robe over her head before she left the small shack that had served as her shelter for the last three days. The sky was cloudy, and the wind was starting to pick up. She had to hurry if she wanted to be at her next destination by sun up. She went to untie Dharmapala from the nearby tree she had tied her to. Dharmapala had grown so big now that she was four heads taller than Mortem. The girl rubbed the horse's neck for a few moments. In one swift movement she mounted the unicorn; she whistled. Out from behind the trees came running Kako and Batibat. They too had grown so much; at ground level, the top of their heads reached Mortem's chest. She urged Dharmapala forward and the mare began to trot. The wind made Mortem's dark purple robe billow behind her, and it made her hood fall, revealing her dark hair, whipping it across her face. "Faster" Mortem whispered and the unicorn began to gallop. The two wolves easily kept up with the horse and her slender rider.

For three hours she travelled without stopping, until finally she could make out a tiny light in the distance. Perhaps a small village? She commanded the mare to stop, and then unmounted. Walking would be best. She could hide in the shadows as she scoped out the village. It had worked thrice before. It took her half an hour to reach the outskirts of the village, and tiny droplets of rain had begun to fall. "Stay here" she whispered to her companions. She walked the dirt roads of this pathetically small village. She counted twenty small houses in all. Twenty one if she counted the farm a little ways away, where she guessed the villagers got their meat and dairy from. All the lights in the houses were off. The only light visible was a lantern that hung at the entrance of the village, next to the board that displayed its name. _Welcome to Lanura _the sign said. Mortem smiled and quietly beckoned Kako. Kneeling infront of the white wolf, she scratched behind his ears.

"You know what to do" she said. Kako licked her hand before running off into the darkness.

* * *

"Alright, my children. I am off to the meeting now. Please behave yourselves in my abscence" Master Makarov said as he stepped out of the guild and into the pouring rain. Erza turned to look at her nakama.

"I suppose we better be off too. This guild better be intact by the time we return" she said, looking pointedly at Natsu.

"Good bye, Gray-sama! Please wait for Juvia!" the rain woman said cheerfully to a blushing Gray. The two women left the guild.

"That Juvia sure does like you, eh, ice-queen?" Natsu teased the ice mage.

"Shut your mouth, flame brain!" the ice mage snapped.

"Make me, droopy eyes!" Natsu retorted. Lucy rolled her eyes. Of course Natsu and Gray would begin fighting as soon as the Master and Erza were gone.

"Natsu! Gray! That's enough!" Mirajane said, giving them her famous evil look. Nobody liked messing with the demon, so they settled down.

"I just hope Erza and Juvia bring back food" Droy said in the background.

"And booze" Cana added.

* * *

"Why do you suppose the rain hasn't let up?" Erza asked the blue haired mage beside her. Erza prided herself in getting along with all of the guild members, but Juvia had a somber grace about her that made silences awkward.

"Not sure. It's so unnatural" Juvia replied, looking up at the sky. She was known as the rain woman because in her past, she was followed by the rain, wherever she went. But even to her this rain was not right. Not normal. It made her feel on edge. Twenty minutes had passed by the time they reached their local market, their shoes and clothes soaked.

"I think it's open" Erza said, peering into the window. Together, they entered the store.

"Ah, ladies. Forgive me, but I am all out of, well, everything actually. Just ten minutes ago a customer took the last supplies I had" the man said. "But I'll tell you what, since you are Fairy Tail an all. Keep walking till you reach the end of Magnolia, hmm... I'd say about fifteen minutes or so, outside of the city lives my brother, and he owns a larger store than mine, seeing as he is a fur trapper and trader. Because nobody has been able to go out much because of this blasted rain, he said to me he said, that he has a lot of supplies he needs to get rid of before they go bad. Just tell'em I sent ya. His name is Groshi" the owner of the store said. Erza thanked him and the two girls left the store. They walked in silence, each immersed in their own thoughts.

* * *

"Hey Lucy, wanna play strip poker?" Natsu asked the blond. He knew she would refuse, but it was still fun to tease her.

"As if!" she said, crossing her arms over her chest.

"But it's no fun if it's only Gray, Gajeel and Elfman playing!" Natsu whined.

"What about me!" snapped Evergreen, smacking Natsu upside the head.

"Ow! But you're Elfman's woman!" Natsu retorted, rubbing his head.

"NO!" Evergreen and Elfman said at the same time, looked at each other, then turned away. Nobody missed the blush that rose to their face.

"Maybe I can play" Levy said as she joined them, putting her glasses away.

"No you won't shrimp" Gajeel growled.

"Eh?! Why not?!" Levy huffed. Natsu turned to Lucy.

"See? Everyone is playing with their girlfriend" he grinned innocently. Lucy almost choked on her drink.

"What do you mean, girlfriends?!" she asked, turning bright red. Gajeel and Levy were arguing in the background, but Natsu tuned them out.

"Come on Luce. You know you wanna" he coaxed, wiggling his eyebrows.

"No way... if Juvia came in and saw all of us playing strip poker, she would kill me" Lucy said. The pinkette sighed and locked his hands behind his head.

"It's boring. I'm going out" he said.

"Natsu! And where are you going? It's pouring out there!" Lucy said, looking at the dragon slayer with wide eyes.

"I'm going home. I gotta check for leaks and make sure everything is ok, I've been stuck here for days now" the fire mage said.

"Fine, then I'm coming too" Lucy said.

"Oi! Where are you two going?" Gray asked, raising his eyebrows.

"Just gonna make sure my house is fine, maybe bring back some stuff" Natsu answered him.

"Aye, Natsu, bring some fish too!" Happy said from his seat across the table.

And with that, the dragon slayer and Lucy left the guild.

"Ah! I wish I had an umbrella" Lucy moped. Natsu looked at her and smiled, shaking his head.

"You didn't have to come, you know" he said, removing the white scarf around his neck.

"Hey, you're not the only one who is tired of being cooped up for a week" Lucy replied with a smile. Her heart fluttered when Natsu took his scarf and wrapped it around her shoulders.

"So you don't get sick" he said. Lucy beamed at him and they continued their way. "Aw fuck" Natsu said, taking a look at his house. The front yard was flooded. "I hope none of it got inside" he grumbled, stepping into the giant puddle. As Lucy was wearing knee length boots, she too ventured into the puddle. Natsu didn't dare open his door for fear of letting the water in, so he climbed in through a window.

"Nice and dry" he called out to Lucy, "come in"

Lucy bit her lip, hesitating a bit. She was wearing a skirt and didn't think climbing in through the window was such a good idea, but the alternative was getting drenched outside. She reached the window and lifted her leg to push herself inside.

"Help me Natsu" she huffed. Natsu grabbed her around the waist with one arm and pulled her in, but for one brief moment he had to cup her bottom to hoist her up. They both felt it, but neither of them said a thing about it. Lucy cleared her throat and avoided his gaze.

"So... uh... it looks like your house is fine" she said with an airy voice. She hated that it sounded nothing like her. Get a grip, Lucy! she scolded herself mentally.

"Yeah, haha... gues we should raid my fridge to see whats still edible" Natsu said, scratching his head. He and Lucy hardly ever had any alone time. Either Happy, or Gray or Erza were always with them. But not today, and it felt oddly strange. He wondered why. He was very good friends with Lucy. In fact, she was his best friend, apart from Happy. He shook his head and threw open his fridge door. Nothing. It was empty, except for an empty milk container.

"Damn... well that sucks" he muttered to himself.

"Hey! Glad you've kept this place clean" Lucy laughed behind him.

"Well, since you went through all that trouble to clean, I figured I had better make it worth it" he chuckled. "But my fridge is empty. Maybe we can take more blankets and pillows".

Lucy watched him as he began tossing blankets and pillows from a closet and onto the floor.

"Won't they get wet?" she asked.

"Only a little, but it's ok, I'll just use my flames to dry them" he said, placing all of it inside a large bag. He stood up and took a step foward, but one of the bag's dangling straps caught his foot, making him trip and fall forward. As fate would have it, his face landed right between Lucy's generous breast, making her shirt buttons pop open.

"Natsu!" she cried, turning away from him, arms safely crossed over her chest. Her face was beet red.

"Sorry Luce! This stupid thing caught my foot. But... you smell and feel nice" he grinned, trying to make light of the incident.

"Natsu!" Lucy scolded, turning to look at him.

"What?" he asked innocently, giving her a wide-eyed look. She smiled and shook her head. She could never really be mad at the dragon slayer. "Come on, let's go" she said, tightening the white scarf around her shoulders. Together, the blond and the pinkette left the house. Natsu draped his arm around her shoulders.

"Luce? Do you think this is serious?" he asked her. Her mind went on overdrive and she faltered.

"What do you mean?" she asked. Was he talking about them? Did he think maybe she was interested in him? Was he interested in her? What could she answer him?

"This" he said, looking around, "the rain. The murders"

Lucy felt stupid. She cleared her throat. "Oh... it deffinitely does seem serious" she replied.

They made it back to the guild, soaked to the bone. Droy was disappointed they brought no food, but Mirajane thanked Natsu for the extra blanketd and pillows.

"By the way" she said, putting the bag aside, "the master sent a message. They are starting the meeting, and by the looks of things, it's not going to be pretty."

The guild was quiet.

"Of course. Somehow I know that the murders in thebother countries... the rain... and everything being kept quiet... it's all related" Laxus said from somewhere in the back of the guild hall. His words made the hair on the back of Natsu's neck stand on end. Could it really be that bad? He hoped not.

**A/N: Please review? Tell me what you think... what you wanna see! I read everything and take everything into consideration! See you soon! xoxo**


	4. Chapter 4

The white wolf had streaked across the dirt roads, unseen by the sleeping villagers. Fierce determination was what drove him forward. Misfortune. The very reason he had been born. That was his goal, his purpose. He sneaked into the small farm, and while the humans were unaware of his presence, the animals were not. Horses neighed nervously, hoofing at the ground. The few cows moved around restlesslesy, and the pigs huddled together. Kako sniffed the ground before lifting his white head. He let out a howl that split the silence, causing the farm animals to panic. The horses broke out of their stalls but withing a few seconds, they fell to the ground, dead. It happened to all the animals, one by one. All dead within three minutes. With a low snarl, Kako retreated to the shadows and back to his master.

"Good boy" Mortem whispered, petting the large animal's head. The two wolves whined quietly. Mortem shook her head before saying "Not yet, my loves. You cannot feast tonight."

When the sun finally came up, Mortem was woken by the murmuring of the village people. She stretched and yawned. She was too far too hear what they were saying, but close enough to know they were probably gathered outside of their houses. She guessed they had seen Kako's work. So it was Batibat's turn then. Mortem and her two wolves made their way to the village entrance, attracting the attention of the people at once.

"It was her!" someone shrieked.

"Yeah! I heard a wolf howl last night!" someone else shouted.

"Who is she?!" a woman screamed.

"Go get her!" a man commanded. Mortem smiled. _Let them come_, she thought. Beside her, Batibat whined quietly, licking her chops, while Kako sat patiently. Three or four men rushed forward, ready to take down the slender young woman with the violet eyes and purple, almost black, hair. She was half their size, so it wouldn't be diffcult to do. But they were mistaken. Batibat stood infront of Mortem in a protective stance, growling at the men who stopped just a few feet away. And then, as Batibat gave an ear-splitting howl, the men fell dead, their life force being sucked out of their bodies in white, whispy tendrils and into Batibat's open snout. Pandemonium ensued. Women shrieked in horror, men ushered their wive's and children into their houses. Everyone scattered, like roaches, Mortem mused. But their fate was sealed. Their life was hers for the taking. And take she did.

"Go forth, my child" she said, and Batibat ran. And wherever she went, death followed. Death... until there was nobody left standing. The village became the fourth mass grave for all of her faceless, nameless victims. Returning to her master, Batibat let out yet another howl, this time releasing the life force of the village unto Mortem, who safely stored it in a small, glass vile that hung around her pale neck. _Yes_, she thought, _this will do for today_.

"And now... you feast" she said to the wolves and the rain began to fall.

* * *

It was evening, and everyone had just finished dinner. Cana, Lissana and Levy were helping by collecting the dirty dishes and cups, giving them to Mirajane to wash. Lucy was sweeping the guild hall as Evergreen wiped down the tables. Natsu and Gray were helping Elfman and Gajeel put back the oveturned tables they had tossed across the room in one of their brawls.

"It seems quiet without Erza and Juvia" Gray said, helping Natsu hoist a table up and placing it back where it belonged.

"Yeah, but I bet you miss Juvia most of all, droopy eyes" Natsu huffed, wiping his brow with his arm.

"Lets not go there again, flame brain" Gray muttered, flopping down on a chair. But it was true that he did miss the water mage, only because he had become so used to her being near him all the time.

"What do you think is going on at the meeting with Gramps?" Natsu asked, interrupting the ice mage's thoughts.

"Well, we won't know for a while, will we?" Gray replied, leaning back on his chair.

"Gray! Be a man and keep helping!" Elfman bellowed, startling the dark haired mage, making him falk off the chair. This caused Natsu to double over, laughing.

"Boys" Levy muttered, rolling her eyes. Lucy came to stand next to her, broom in hand.

"But Mirajane, you said the master said it was serious, didn't you?" the blond asked seriously. Mirajane nodded.

"He said it didn't look pretty. I imagine it will be a long meeting" she said.

"Do you suppose we will have to get involved?" Cana asked.

"Who knows? It's up to the Council, isn't it? Depends what they tell the guild masters" Mira answered.

"Personally, I think yes. I think all the guilds are gonna be told to keep an eye out" Levy said.

"I just wish we knew what the hell is going on. All this secrecy... the not knowing... it makes me feel uneasy" Cana muttered.

"I know how you feel," Lucy said sitting on a stool, "it makes me feel... doomsy. Not even Zeref and Acnologia make me feel this way."

"Maybe it's just the rain adding to the gloom?" Lissana said, trying to brighten the mood.

* * *

"I see someone over there" Erza said.

"Juvia sees them too... two people" the rain woman replied.

They stopped walking, trying to determine if they were friends or foes. They were close to the fur trapper's shop now. They could see it from where they stood.

"Wait... I think... I think that's Jellal!" Erza said, unable to mask the excitement in her voice. Juvia brightened too. If Jellal was here, Meredy was too.

"Meredy!" she called out, waving. The two people turned and renoved their hoods. They were correct. Jellal and Meredy waved at the two girls. Erza took off at a run, Juvia close behind. The ground, slippery with watery mud, made Erza slide across it.

"Whoa, watch out" Jellal said, grabbing Erza's shoulders to steady her. She turned red and cleared her throat.

"What are you guys doing here?" she asked them.

"We were actually heading to Fairy Tail" Meredy said cheerfully.

"Yeah, we wanted to see what you all knew. Maybe swap some horror stories" Jellal grinned.

"Well, Master Makarov sent us for supplies. We have been cooped up at the guild all week, and we are running low on everything. We are heading tovl that store" Erza said, pointing to the large cabin.

"So were we! I need a new pair of boots!" Meredy said.

"Then we should travel together" Juvia suggested.

* * *

"I think Erza and Juvia are back... and they bring company! Lissana said, peeking through a window. A few moments laters, the doors to the guild hall opened, letting in the fairy queen, the rain woman and their two companions. Their arms were laden with bags, and Jellal was pulling a small cart along.

"Great! You guys were able to get supplies!" Mirajane said happily. She had worried about what she would feed the guild if the food ran out.

"Oi! Jellal! Meredy!" Natsu greeted.

"What are you guys doing here?" Gray asked.

"Gray-sama! Juvia missed you!" the bluenette squealed, running to Gray who cringed.

"We met them on the way" Erza explained, closing the doors behind her. "They were on their way here."

"Hello everyone" Meredy smiled. The foursome placed the supplies on the table, and the others helped Mirajane put them away.

"Mystogan" Laxus grinned, clapping Jellal's shoulder.

"Laxus... are you gonna call me that forever?" he asked the lighting mage with a grin of his own.

"Ha! It's good to have you guys back" Laxus said.

"It's good to be back" Jellal replied.

"So... do you guys know anything about whats going on out there?" Gajeel asked, sitting at a nearby table.

"Well, that's part of the reason we came" Jellal answered him. Most of the guild members had gone to bed, but the remaining mages gathered round. Levy sat next to the iron dragon slayer, and everyone else took a seat too. Natsu draped his arm over Lucy's shoulders, and Juvia hugged Gray's arm. Erza took a seat next to Jellal and arriving late to the gathering, Mirajane, Lissana and Freed joined the group. Jellal began to speak.

"First... tell me what you guys know" he said to the group. Mirajane pulled out the news paper article from her apron and showed it to Jellal and Meredy. Instinctively, Lucy laced her fingers through a surprised Natsu's fingers. After reading the article, Jellal returned it to the white-haired demon.

"That's only the tip of the iceberg" he said grimmly.

Lucy squeezed Natsu's hand. Natsu looked at her and gave her a reassuring smile, returning her squeeze. Whatever it was, he would never let anything happen to Lucy or Fairy Tail.

* * *

"My beloved friends... it is night time yet again, and we must keep going" Mortem said, beckoning the two wolves. She gently pulled Dharmapala from the oats that she was eating. Mortem pulled out a map and scanned it as best she could under the moonlight.

"Apparently we are in Bosco. A few nights from today we can either reach Seven or Fiore. I haven't decided yet" she said to her animals. She looked back at the empty village and felt a pang of remorse, but she immediately cast it aside. No. She was a creature born to bring death to everyone and everything mortal. This was her purpose in life. Feelings of guilt and remorse had no place in her black heart. She mounted Dharmapala and urged the horse into a fast gallop, then full on running as the rain began to fall yet again. Her wolves ran after her, weaving their way through the trees. _Maybe_, she thought, _if I break the sound barrier... I'll disappear forever..._

**A/N:**_ Things are pretty serious, eh? Don't worry, I promise I'll have more Nalu soon! Please review? xoxo  
_


	5. Chapter 5

Lucy rested her head against Natsu's shoulder as she listened to Jellal. From what he had said so far, it was clear this was more serious than she had first thought. Strange murders, horrific massacres, mutilated animal bodies, rotting crops and sickly livestock... strange sightings of a woman who the people were calling The Dark Rider. Some people thought she was the Grim Reaper, Lady Death, the Devil's Priestess. Nobody knew exactly what she looked like, the sightings mostly happened at night. Those who had seen her had felt terror at her mere presence. She never stayed in one place for long, the rumors said. She was accompanied by two giant wolves, they said. One so white he almost shimmered, the other was so black it was difficult to see at night.

"And she rides a unicorn" Jellal said.

"Eh? A unicorn?" Lucy asked stupidly.

"That's what the witnesses say" Jellal answered.

"But has anyone actually seen what she does?" Erza asked seriously. Jellal shook his head.

"So basically this girl shows up and bad things happen... but nobody is actually sure it is her. Nobody has seen her commit these atrocities" Laxus summed it up.

"No, but it is all too strange no? Everything is fine until she is sighted" Meredy said, looking around at the Fairy Tail mages.

"Do you think she works for Zeref?" Gajeel asked after a few moments.

"It is possible" Jellal replied, but he sounded doubtful.

"Well, that settles it. What we need to do is put up posters through out Magnolia... no... all of Fiore, warning everyone about this Dark Rider" Pantherlily said, from his place atop Gajeel's shoulder.

"That is a good idea, but first, we have to wait to see what Master Makarov says. We can't act without his approval first" Erza said. There was general agreement.

"Whoever this girl is... she has no idea who Fairy Tail is. She will be stopped. We will stop her!" Natsu said angrily, slamming his fist on the table.

* * *

It had been a couple of hours since everyone had gone to sleep. Erza remained at the empty guild hall, a small lantern providing low light. She thought about what Jellal had said about the Dark Rider but her toughts then driften to Jellal himself. She had missed him. Despite their tragic past, one thing remained true: she loved him. And even though she felt guilty for having feelings for him, she couldn't deny that for once in her life, she was happy being in love.

"You alright?" Jellal asked from behind. She smiled before turning to face him. By all means, he was Mystogan. Dressed exactly like him, looked exactly like him... but it was her Jellal underneath the hood which he removed, running a hand through his messy blue hair.

"I am worried" she said as he sat next to her.

"Me too. But to be honest, I don't think it's Zeref" he said, taking hold of her gloved hand. "And you guys faced Acnologia and suvived. If this Dark Rider comes to Fiore... I know Fairy Tail will win."

Erza smiled. "How can you be so sure?"

"Because I believe in Fairy Tail. We all do. And you guys won't be fighting alone this time, if it comes to that" Jellal explained.

Leaning close, Jellal brushed her lips with his for a brief moment.

* * *

"I knew it! I knew Erza had a sweet spot for Jellal" Natsu whispered triumphantly. Lucy smacked his arm.

"Be quiet! They're gonna hear us!" she hissed, pulling Natsu away from the guild hall's back entrance.

"Erza has a boyfriend" Natsu snickered. Lucy rolled her eyes.

"Maybe you need a girlfriend too" she said.

"Oho! That's not a bad idea Luce. Who should I ask?" he said, locking his hands behind his head. Lucy pursed her lips. "Maybe Lissana? Or Cana? Or Mirajane?" he continued, counting the number of female guild members in his head. Lucy shrugged.

"You can't date Mirajane. She has a thing with Freed" the blond said.

"Oh? How do you know?" the pinkette inquired, eyeing Lucy who promptly turned pink in the face.

"I... may or may not have seen something not meant for my eyes" was all she said.

"What about you Luce? Wanna be my girlfriend?" Natsu asked. He was only half joking. Whenever he thought about having a girlfriend, _if_ he ever did, Lucy was always the one that came to mind. He watched her for a reaction.

"Natsu," she said quietly, "don't joke about things like that. Don't say things you don't mean" And with that, she turned on her heel and left a confused dragon slayer behind. Ah. So maybe he wasn't reading the signs wrong after all. He made his way to his bed, feeling ten feet tall.

* * *

Lucy thought about what Natsu said. She couldn't deny he was very special to her. He was her best friend. And of course he was handsome. And funny. And ok, he was sweet too. Her mind wandered to the very first time they met. She had been under Bora's love spell then, but Natsu had broken through it. "_Only the intervention of the soul mate can dissipate a charm of love" _someone had said. Could it be? She thought about everything that they had been through together. The good and the bad. How he was always there to help her, no matter what. Yes, she loved him. Question was... did she love him as a friend or something else?

* * *

There was a moment of complete and utter surprise. Dharmapala had been galloping at full speed when she had suddenly tripped, sending Mortem flying through the air, unable to react in time. On wobbly feet, Mortem stood and made her way to her horse, who appeared unhurt.

"What happened?" she asked the unicorn.

"That was us" said a man from somewhere between the trees. Ah. Of course. With Kako and Batibat out hunting for their dinner, and her mind lost in thought, Mortem had failed to sense the presence of these men. They gathered around her. Mortem remained still. Killing them all would be easy, but she decided to have some fun. One burly man grabbed her cloak and yanked it off.

"Oh, she's a pretty one ain't she" he said to his friend. They laughed.

Another stepped close to her. "This is fine silk... my wife will love this dress" he said, fingering the neckline of her dress.

"She will fetch a nice price. She looks fancy" another said, snickering.

"Price?" Mortem asked curiously.

"Aye. The slave trade is booming here in Bosco" the man said.

"Slave trade" Mortem repeated. So these pigs were slave traders. Whisteling lowly, Mortem turned away from the men and firmly pet Dharmapala's neck.

"Oi! Wot the fuck do ya think yer doin' lassie?" the burly man said laughingly, looking around at his peers. They laughed with him.

"I don't like slave traders" Mortem said simply, keeping her attention on her unicorn. When she was growing up, she had been sold to the slave market too. But that was long ago, and they had all paid.

"Shut up, and let's go" the burly man said, stepping forward to grab Mortem's arm tightly. From out of the trees jumped Kako, a streak of white shimmering in the moonlight. With a snarl, he pounced the burly man and clamped his jaws around his neck. The rest of the men screamed and shouted, trying to fight off Kako to no avail. Once they knew it was a lost cause, they began to run but Batibat blocked their way. She gave a howl and they fell, dead. All except one, who was cowaring against a tree, his path blocked by Kako.

"Please... don't k...k...kill me ma'am... I'm not like them!" he whispered, terrified.

"Are you not?" Mortem asked, raising a dark brow.

"N...n...no... I have a family a...a...and they told me we were gonna g...g...go fishing so we could get mo...mo...money. It was a j...j...job I thought... a decent job!" the skinny man stuttered.. Mortem could see he was trembling from head to foot now that she had turned her attention to him. She raised her hand towards the man and raised him in the air, bringing him closer. He whimpered with fear as he floated through the air towards her.

"I hope you speak the truth. Otherwise, your death will be most painful" Mortem said to him. "Dharmapala here... she always knows the truth... always" she explained, "and if you are true of heart you will live. If you are not... well... like I said. Painful death awaits you."

Stopping the floating man infront of the black mare, she nodded once. Dharmapala gallopped forward, head down, horn aimed straight at the man's heart.

He screamed in terror as the horn pierced his heart all the way through. He was impaled and couldn't move. He blinked in surprise as Dharmapala stepped back. He clutched his his chest but there was no pain. No blood either. Not even a hole in his dirty shirt. He fell to his knees in relief. He watched the woman mount the horrid horse, afraid to make a sound lest she turn her attention to him again.

"So you live" she said, pulling the hood of her cloak over her head. Followed by the wolves, they left without another word. He ran as fast as he could, praying he would make it home to his wife and kids.

* * *

**A/N: **_Hi guys! Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Things are about to get serious now, and there is going to be more Nalu from now on, but also expect to see other ships too. Let me know what you think, how you think the story should go and any other ideas or comments you wanna leave :) See you next time! xoxo_


	6. Chapter 6

Fairy Tail was in high spirits. The morning sun had pierced the dark clouds for the first time in two weeks. A few clouds still covered the sky here and there, but it was a lovely day nonetheless. The room was alive with happy chatter; everyone glad to get a little sunshine after so long.

"It's so good to see the sun again!" Natsu said happily, peering out from the window in the guild hall.

"I know! I have to go talk to my land lady too, she probably thinks I bailed on paying rent for this month" Lucy said, putting down the book she had been reading.

"Maybe we can go on a job!" Natsu said, sounding hopeful.

"Maybe, but we haven't gotten any requests. People haven't been able to leave their houses either" Erza said, joining the duo.

"I'm sure the jobs will start pouring in now" Natsu said, "even if it's just here in Magnolia".

Mirajane entered the guild hall, her face adorned with her usual smile. "The Master said he will be arriving tonight" she told the entire hall.

"I wonder what he'll tell us" Levy said to Gajeel. Natsu heard Gajeel mumble something but he paid them no mind. He had something else he wanted to do.

"Lucy, wanna go with Happy and me to go fishing? We haven't been out in so long and I don't know how long this weather will last" Natsu said, turning to the blond.

"Ok! But first I have to talk to you know who" Lucy pouted, dreading her meeting with the land lady.

"Alright! We'll meet you back here in fifteen minutes then" Natsu said as he and his blue cat ran out the doors.

"Lucy, be sure to have those two back before evening. Don't want you guys to miss the Master" Erza said with a wry smile. Lucy nodded and, gathering her things, left the guild hall as well.

* * *

Lucy thought about what she had said to the dragon slayer the night before. Did he think she had feelings for him? She didn't think so. He was aacting normal. Well, as normal as Natsu could be. Pushing the door to her apartment complex open, she imagined what it would be like to be Natsu's girlfriend. Would it affect the way they interacted with each other? Would their friends mind? Would Natsu still be himself? Would _she_ be herself? So many questions ran through her head, and not a single answer.

"Lucy! Where have you been?!" a sharp voice thundered behind her, causing the blond to have a mini heart attack. "Where you hiding from me? Did you think this rain would make the rent free?" the old lady snapped. Lucy was used to her land lady enough to know the woman was harmless. Mostly.

"No! I meant to come by but I was delayed. I'm sorry. I have your rent money right here" Lucy explained, which was perfectly true. Before Master Makarov had ordered them to stay at the guild, she had finished one job with Wendy that had payed well. So, after handing over the jewels, Lucy made her way to her room. Of course it was exactly as she had left it. Quickly changing out of her clothes, she scanned the room one last time before heading out once again.

From a distance, Lucy could see Natsu and Happy were already waiting for her outside of the guild. She watched as Gray came out of the building, an enthusiastic Juvia clinging to his arm, chatting away happily. By the looks of it, they were heading towards the town. Lucy chuckled. She wished she was as brave as Juvia was. The rain woman never hesitated in letting Gray know she liked him. If Lucy could tell Natsu she... wait a second. She didn't like him... did she? Shaking her head, she smiled and called out to the dragon slayer and his Exceed.

"Oi! Lucy!" he said, raising his arm and waving.

"Are we ready?" she asked once she joined them.

"Aye! I'm ready for fish!" Happy said, flying above their heads. Together, the three of them made their way to the nearby pond. It was a familiar route now. Lucy had accompanied these two on many fishing trips before. But today, she studied Natsu from the corner of her eye. She admired the way his muscles rippled beneath his tanned skin. His smile was adorable, his canines accentuated the fact he was, indeed, a dragon slayer. Pink hair color was unusual, but she loved the fact it suited him perfectly.

"You llllllike him" Happy whispered in her ear, snickering gleefully.

"Happy!" she snapped, batting the blue cat away.

"What's going on?" Natsu asked.

"Nothing" Lucy mumbled, glaring at the winged cat.

"Natsu! There's water everywhere!" Happy whined. And it was true. Their usual hang-out spot had puddles everywhere. The ground was soggy with accumulated rain water.

"The rain made the river and lake flood. This is just part of it" Natsu said, looking around. "Well, no matter. The more water there is, the more fish we can catch!" he added excitedly. He helped Lucy climb a nearby rock. "Wait here," he said, "I'm gonna dry off a patch of grass for us" he said, giving her one of his charming smiles. Lucy could feel her face turn hot, but thankfully Natsu didn't notice. She had to get a grip on herself!

Natsu was careful not to sear the grass. He was so skilled in his magic that the patch of grass was dry in minutes, but not burned. He spread out a blanket for Lucy to sit on while he and Happy fished for their lunch. "It's ready, Luce" he called out. He had to tear his gaze away from her long, smooth legs as she slid off the rock. He had never noticed before, but she always wore clothes that hugged her slim figure and showed off her shapely legs. His gaze involuntarily travled upwards to her breasts. She had very large boobs, he knew. In fact, he had touched them before. Seen them bare, too. Not in a sexual way though. Not at the time. Now, he wasn't so sure.

"You llllllike her!" Happy snickered in his ear.

"Get outta here Happy!" Natsu said just as Lucy sat down on the blanket. He cleared his throat and hurried to the edge of the pond, where he and Happy cast their lines. Natsu had noticed Lucy had been studying him. He wondered why. He wondered if she knew he had meant the question he had asked her the night before. And he wondered what her answer would be if he asked again.

After lunch, Natsu and Lucy packed their things again.

"Oi, Happy, help us carry this" Natsu said, handing the blue Exceed a bag with the blanket in it.

"Aye sir! But I have to go give this fish to Carla, before it gets cold!" the cat said, zooming away with the blanket in tow.

"Well, looks like we're ready" Lucy said. She hated that her boots were getting muddy but she had no choice. She had to tread carefully through the slippery grass and soggy earth. Even Natsu was having a hard time.

"Better hold on to my arm, Lucy" he said, and she gladly took it. Suddenly her boot slipped and she fell forward with a yelp, but Natsu's reflexes were faster. He grabbed her by the waist to steady her, but the ground was so soggy, he too lost his footing. Both spirit mage and dragon slayer fell, but Natsu twisted his body in such a way that Lucy landed ontop of him. He immediately became aware of the way her breasts felt pressed against his chest. His pulse quickened.

"Natsu, are you ok?!" Lucy gasped, struggling to get up and off the dragon slayer. Her hand slipped and she fell on him again, knocking the breath out of him. "I'm sorry!" she wailed. She stradled him so she could get better leverage to get up, but the movement only served to make her bottom wiggle against Natsu's pelvis. His eyes grew as round as saucers and he sucked in his breath. Lucy felt something she had never before felt in her life. Something was pressing against a part of her it had no business pressing. Sudden realization dawned on her and she turned ten different shades of red. Natsu cursed and was finally able to get her off him.

"N...Natsu... I'm sorry!" she stuttered, unable to meet his eyes. Her face was aflame with embarrassment and something else. A sensation deep in her core, not unpleasant, but not entirely comfortable either. Natsu had his back turned to her.

"Ar... are you ok?" she asked shyly, afraid of the dragon slayer's answer. He nodded but said nothing. "Natsu... it's..." she began, but Natsu cut her off.

"Wait! Don't come over here yet" he said, sounding panicky. Lucy bit her lip and shifted her weght uncomfortably on her feet. After a few seconds of silence, Natsu turned and to the blond's surprise, he was blushing. "Sorry," he said, "I'm feeling better now."

Lucy smiled uncertainly and they made their way back to the guild in silence. She wondered if the awkwardness in the air was because of what she had felt. She didn't know, but she hoped things would get back to normal soon. As they entered the guilld, the atmosphere changed almost palpably. The Master was back and his face looked grim.

* * *

**A/N: **_Hi guys! Sorry for taking so long! To make it up to you, I give you some NaLu yumminess :p Please review and let me know your thoughts!_


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